By various members of the SMN Review Team
Intro by Geoff
I really hope that you’ll find this piece useful if you are after a steer on how to create realistic wood-effect props for your models. Inevitably WWI aircraft models come to the fore at a time like this but of course I hope that you will realise that you can apply this approach to any number of subjects like:
- Propellers
- Cockpits
- Wing struts
- Wooden crates
- Wood panels in buildings and fencing
- Doors, flooring and cargo areas on vehicles
- Stowage
- Ammo boxes and so on…

There really is no one way!
This is important and I won’t cover all the possible options here – just highlight some of the techniques that we use here on the Team and this will help to get you going or give you some new ideas to practice and master.
Ok, let’s get going
Research, research and more research – it is always worth taking some time to trawl the Net and any reference books that you may have to try to identify what type of look you are after. All wooden props are not the same in appearance at all – just look at the accompanying images of the props on real aircraft and note the colours, tones and finish – that some seem to be obviously laminated and grained and others less so. you just need to decide what type of effect and looking below one of us will give you a steer – good luck!
Silver Wings Siskin IIIA, 1:32
By Geoff C
…Interesting this as from the accompanying photo the wood grain effect seems to be very fine, unlike some other aircraft that have a very distinct ‘broad-line’ laminated and polished pattern? For that reason I decided to spray the spinner red, as per the instructions and then mask that off, along with the metal leading edge strips and paint the Tamiya Buff (XF-57) base colour.
When dry and using a broad flat brush Raw Umber oil paint is drawn across the surface to create a fine wood grain effect using a flat brush. Again, when ‘dry’ (about 24 hours), semi-gloss varnish is sprayed over the whole prop. The metal leading edge strips are painted in Citadel Colour Bolt Gun Metal.